The following are the Top Three items currently under discussion and review by your CPS Board. There is no specific detail, yet, as these are currently “works in progress”. Further detail will follow as available.

This Circular advises Health Boards and community pharmacy contractors that a series of Public Health Service (PHS) poster campaigns is planned to be distributed to pharmacies over the course of 2024/25

As of the 13th June 2024, the NHS Inform advice on Covid-19 has been updated. This was informed by a review from Public Health Scotland and Scottish Government clinicians. Based on this review, it was recommended that the advice to self-isolate for five days following a positive Covid-19 test should be removed from guidance.

Your next Parcelforce prescription collection is coming up on Thursday, 20th June 2024.

Here is the detail for a Podiatry Training which is offered for any community pharmacists who would like to attend. Details of how to apply to the organiser are in the invitation. CPS is supporting, but not sponsoring the event.

The University of Glasgow has launched a citizen science initiative for reporting mosquito sightings across Scotland. This aims to map mosquito distribution and species variety. Visit the reporting portal at www.mosquito-scotland.com. The blog post includes details on supporting the initiative with flyers, social media infographics, and shareable tweets. Your support in promoting this project is appreciated.

NSS have confirmed that the final cumulative statements have all been sent to contractors detailing information about payments received by contractors during the nDCVP implementation and resultant estimated payment process.

The Community Pharmacy Scotland Newsletter has now been released. If you qualify as an Associate Member and you would like the eNewsletter sent directly to your inbox every Thursday at 6:15pm, then please sign up.

Our colleagues at NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) have written to Independent Pharmacy Contractors to inform them about some issues that have arisen during the switchover to SWAN2.

The Psychotropic Drug Directory is now available to all users of NES Knowledge Network. Access to this has been funded by the Scottish Government’s Mental Health Directorate.

The Scottish Government are hosting a women's health lunchtime webinar on the 26th of June with Professor Martha Hickey on Empowering Woman to Manage Menopause.

The Scottish Government have updated the NHS Pharmacy First Approved List and to follow national prescribing guidance Simple Linctus sugar-free and Simple Linctus Paediatric sugar-free have now been removed from this list.

Due to the day on which the 1st June falls this year, we will publish the June edition of Part 7 on the website slightly later than usual, on Monday 3rd May 2024.

In this week’s roundup... Our Policy & Development team bring you all the latest news affecting community pharmacy in Scotland including, Christine Grahame MSP’s visit to Lauder Pharmacy, Post-registration Foundation Programme 2024, Prescription Collection for the 4th June, Consultation on the Quality Assurance of Pharmacy Education and Training and the RPS Survey on Digital Systems Access in Community Pharmacy.

The Community Pharmacy Scotland Newsletter has now been released. If you qualify as an Associate Member and you would like the eNewsletter sent directly to your inbox every Thursday at 6:15pm, then please sign up.

This Circular advises Health Boards and community pharmacy contractors that the two UK-wide Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) for Clarithromycin 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml oral suspension have been reactivated on 22 May 2024. The new end date for both SSPs is now 21 June 2024.

To advise of a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) in place for Creon® 25000 gastro-resistant capsules, from 24 May 2024 to 22 November 2024.

To advise of a Serious Shortage Protocol (SSP) in place for Creon® 10000 gastro-resistant capsules, from 24 May 2024 to 22 November 2024.

This circular advises community pharmacy contractors and NHS Boards on the amendments to the Drug Tariff Part 11 clawback scale.

Information for pharmacists who may wish to join the programme in September 2024.